You’re thinking about investing in an electronic cigarette. You’ve researched. You’ve browsed e-cigs on the market, and you’re ready to dive in. Learning how to use it is exciting –and sometimes challenging. Like any new technology, you need to learn how the device works and how to vape.

It's easier than learning how to program one remote control for use with your television and DVD player, rest assured.

Vapor smoking requires learning, planning and patience, at least in the beginning. Here are 10 tips to help make your new vaping experience more pleasurable:

1. Don’t expect vaping to be like smoking. There's a whole different feel to vaping than pulling an analog cigarette out of the pack, putting it in your mouth, slightly turning your head and lighting it.  Many people expect an e-cig to look and taste like a traditional cigarette. The reality is that an e-cig cannot fulfill both requirements completely, but in many ways vapor smoking is way more satisfying –the variety of flavors, for example.
2. Tobacco flavors come close to tasting like the popular cigarette brands, but you won't find an exact match. They don't exist. Besides, you do not want to experience only the flavor of a traditional cigarette when you have flavor variety in vaping. It would be like ordering a regular coffee at Starbucks when you have taste bud-teasing Lattes and Frappuccinos to try! Vaping gives you a world of flavor you will never have with smoking. Start your morning with vaping a delicious peppermint with your coffee and finish the day vaping chocolate for dessert after dinner.
3. Once you've chosen which model you want, you need to buy extra equipment and juice. You have to learn which hardware is compatible with your e-cig and how to use it. You have to figure out if you like the atomizer/cartridge over the cartomizer. You have to experiment with juice to discover your preferred flavors and which nicotine level works best. The experimental stage can take two weeks or it can take a month. Duration isn’t important. What’s important is that you enjoy the newfound experience.
4. The smaller the battery, the shorter the charge is going to last. Most starter kits come with one or two batteries, which may not be enough for the heavy smoker.  A heavy smoker may need to buy additional batteries. If you're a light smoker, one or two batteries will work well.
5. How long your cartridges last depends on how much you vape. You will need to do some vapor smoking to determine how much you use and how much to order online if a brick-and-mortar e-cig store is not nearby.
6. Cartridges are disposable, but you can refill them a couple of times before you toss them in the trash.
7. You may find e-cig vendors online charging $25-$50 for a battery. South Beach Smoke offers batteries starting at $17.95.  Or, you can buy the Power Cig to vape while it’s plugged into a USB port.
8. Vaping is less costly than smoking if you're responsible. If you’re careful and maintain your e-cig, it can easily last longer. Batteries can last for several months or longer if not abused and charged properly. Cleaning the contacts regularly can also maximize the lifespan of your cartridge and battery.
9. Plan ahead. Once you know your vaping capacity, you need to keep a couple of extra cartridges on hand. Most experienced vapers keep a drawer full of replacement cartridges and spare batteries. Nothing is more frustrating than running out and not being able to vape. To ensure you’re not out of product, you can enroll in home delivery.
10. The art of inhaling an e-cig –vaping– is fun to learn. Traditional cigarettes are easy to inhale from because so long as you sucked on it, you'd get smoke. E-cigs don't burn constantly, and they don't produce smoke. The technique is different. You cannot inhale the same way as you did smoking. For best results, take long, slow, gentle draws on your device. Practice makes perfect. Soon, vaping will become second nature.

If you want to try vapor smoking but are hesitant to invest in a full-blown e-cig starter kit, a disposable e-cig is an excellent option for getting your feet wet.

We invite you to continue exploring our knowledge center and blog to learn more about the exciting world of e-cigs and vapor smoking.